Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Question: which one of the above machines needs planning permission before you can buy and use it?The answer, of course, is the wind turbine. This particular turbine should generate enough electricity in an a year to save more than 7 tonnes of CO2.

The SUV doesn't need planning permission to buy; just a lot of money. Much more than the turbine. It will generate more CO2 each year than the turbine will save. It will also cost much more to buy and to run.

Revised question: which of the above machines should have planning permission before you can buy and use it?It's a no-brainer and a good example of the cockeyed system we have to change in order to tackle the planet's climate woes and overconsumption. As you might guess, I am in the throes of trying to get planning permission for installing a 6kW turbine on my farm.

The climate "extremist"

Ironically, the inspiration for this blog came from a friend who consumes rather a lot of fossil fuel. Because I try hard to consume less - in particular, by travelling as little as possible - she labelled me an 'extremist'. She likes to jet around the planet on holidays as do most people and her point was that I was taking an extreme position by not doing the same. I disagree. I think the time has come for 'frivolous travel' to be labelled extremist behaviour and it is the purpose of this blog to help propel my 'extremism' (!) into the mainstream: ex-treme to main-stream. I hope you will help!